Capitol Confidential with Dan Clark

Capitol Confidential with Dan Clark

Share this post

Capitol Confidential with Dan Clark
Capitol Confidential with Dan Clark
New York hasn't touched this literal cost of living issue in 36 years
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More

New York hasn't touched this literal cost of living issue in 36 years

And the Commission of Correction expansion bill is moving in the Legislature.

Dan Clark's avatar
Dan Clark
May 21, 2025
∙ Paid
25

Share this post

Capitol Confidential with Dan Clark
Capitol Confidential with Dan Clark
New York hasn't touched this literal cost of living issue in 36 years
Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More
Share

Good afternoon — it’s Wednesday and LCA Show Day.

In today’s CapCon:

  • Lawmakers have revived what was once a key labor priority for Gov. Kathy Hochul in hopes of changing a decades-old law.

  • The Senate is expected to pass a bill Wednesday aimed at criminal charges that could be brought against President Donald J. Trump or a future president.

  • A bill to expand the Commission of Correction has passed the Senate and could soon move in the Assembly.

  • We have a new member of the state Senate!

  • New bills aim to monitor the CDPAP transition, target airlines involved in immigration enforcement and increase health care staffing.

Names in today’s CapCon: Kathy Hochul, Michaelle Solages, Jessica Ramos, Harry Bronson, Michael Gianaris, Julia Salazar, Erik Dilan, Carrie Woerner, Pat Fahy, Emily Gallagher, Jake Ashby

❗ CapCon Note: The Legislature is scheduled to gavel out for the year in less than a month, so we’re offering a free 30-day trial for anyone who wants to get CapCon through the end of this year’s session. Get that 30-day free trial here.


Assembly Labor Chair Harry Bronson Wednesday (Dan Clark/Times Union)

💵 An end-of-session issue pitting lawmakers against business groups

It was about this time last year when Senate Labor Chair Jessica Ramos and Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages introduced a bill to address a cost of living issue in New York that’s often overlooked.

New York is one of five states that require employers to provide short-term disability benefits for workers who need time off to deal with a medical condition or recover from an injury. The benefit allows them to continue getting paid while they’re out.

It hasn’t been updated in New York since 1989. That’s when the law capped the amount workers out on short-term disability can receive each week at $170.

That hasn’t changed. The cap is still at $170, which had the same buying power back then as about $440 does today.

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Capitol Confidential with Dan Clark to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 The Hearst Corporation
Publisher Privacy ∙ Publisher Terms
Substack
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share

Copy link
Facebook
Email
Notes
More